Rotary engine.



' ROTARY ENGINE. APPLwATwN FILED JULY 1o. 1901.

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' 19o T- H.. LUKENs. PATENTE) APR 14' .8

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INVENTDR Il l TwmwfALux/elw lllllllllll @j www ATTORNEY T. H. LUKENS.

RoTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1907.

'No.884,984. PATBNTEDAPB14,1908.

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INVENTOR ThomaaJzCLu/w WITNEESE rui N oRR/s PErERs da, wasnmcmv n. c

ATTORNEY.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

THOMAS H. LUKENS, or ROCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, AssieNoR OE ONE-HALF ToJOHN M.

eRiM, or RocHEsTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

` ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed. July 10, l1907. Serial No. 383,040.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. LUxENs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county of Beaver and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRotary Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new, practical, and useful improvement inrotary engines in which steam or air is used as a motive power.

The primary object of my invention is the construction of such a type ofengine that will be Simple in design, 4reliable during operation, and,by having few working parts, be of a minimum expense for maintenance.

As a further object in view my invention consists of the novelarrangement and construction of parts whereby the steam, or other motivepower used in conjunction therewith, is used at a high and graduallyexpanding pressure throughout the entire length of the cylinder.

In the accompanying drawings, in three sheets; Figure 1 is a perspectiveView of my improved engine partly broken away. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 3, is a detached View ofthe turbine portion of my engine. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same, andFig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Throughout the different views shown in the drawings, the numeral 1indicates the supporting bed plate which is of ordinary construction andutility, vwith the exception that, in the top portion thereof there isformed, as an integral part of said bed plate, or it may be otherwisesecured, a cone shaped cylinder 2, the narrow portion thereof beinghereinafter designated as the front or admission end and the wideportion as the rear or discharge end. This last named portion of thecylinder is closed by a plate 3 securely bolted to a flange 4 formed atthe end of said cylinder, while through the upper shell adjacent to saidrear end is provided an escapement oriiice 5, and communicating end arethevalve controlled admission pipes 6 and 7. Operatively seated in thecylinder 2, is a cone shaped turbine wheel 8 conforming in cross sectionto the contour of said cylinder, having a spindle 9 9 at each endthereof, which seat in suitable housings 10H10 formed on the bed plate,and a power wheel 11 secured to one end thereof. This turbine wheel 8consists of a series of blades 12--12 lwhich extend longitudinallythroughout the length thereof, the height of said blades increasinggradually from the front to the rear as seen in Fig. 3.

Formed at right angles with these said blades12 and connected to thewalls thereof` area plurality of partitions 13-13 which, together withthe walls of said blades 12,

,form the compartments 14-14.

At the narrowest or admission end of the turbine these compartments areof uniform Size and capacity, and constitute the steam admissionchambers, there being suitable openings 15, formed in the lower part ofthe blades 12', thus providing a communicating means between all of thesaid chambers. Through the top portion of one of the side partitions 13is an opening 16 which affords an outlet from one of the steam admissionchambers into theadjoining compartment 14 constituting the first of theseries of outletV chambers. Each of the succeeding compartments 14communicates, by means of a suitable opening A, formed in the blades 12,with the one immediately in front thereof, thus an outlet passage forthe Spent steam is provided, said steam taking a spiral course throughthe series of compartments until it reaches the opening 5 at which pointit escapes out of the cylinder.

It will readily be seen that owing to the gradual taper taken on by theturbine, starting at the steam admission end of the cylinder, theseescapement compartments 14 gradually increase in area, until, arrivingat the discharge end of said cylinder, where they reach their maximumsize and capacity. v The communicating openings A, from Vone compartmentinto another, also graduthroughthe said shell at the opposite or front lture heretofore described is to provide a means for the gradualexpansion of the steam, or other motive power, as it travels in itsspiral pathway throughout the length of the cylinder, and, as said steamenters each-succeeding compartment of the series it exerts a pressure onthe blade 12 of the revolving turbine. In this manner the maximumefliciency of the steam is utilized throughout the entire length of thecylinder. Suitable packing glands 15 of ordinary construction andutility are arranged over the spindle at each end of the cylinder.

To operate the engine steam is allowed to pass through the valvecontrolled pipe 6, the inner end thereof, where it projects through thewall of the cylinder, being preferably of a nozzle formation, and as thesteam enters the cylinder it is directed. against tlfe upper portion ofthe blades 12, thus causing the turbine to revolve. Each of the seriesof blades contained in this admission chamber present faces to theincoming steam which Lio is then deflected through the openings 15 and'finds an exit through the port 16 into the first of the series ofexpansion and exhaust chambers 14. The course of this spent steam fromthat point on to the exhaust outlet 5 is in a spiral pathway through thegradual increasing ports A formed. through the blades 12 in each chamber14, and while on its course, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it isexerting a pressure against the blades 12 and therefore assisting in therevolution of the turbine.

I claim that the possibility of back lash will be avoided. by theconstruction shown at the ladmission end of the turbine whereby thesteam, after exerting its pressure against the series of blades 12 atthat point, will be immediately gotten rid. of through the port 16, andthen gradually expanded and permitted to escape out of the exhaustopening 5, after having completed its spiral course and in so doingassisted in the revolving of the turbine 8 as heretofore described.

It is understood, and I desire to reserve the right to construct'theturbine wheel 8 with as many expansion or escapement compartments as maybe found expedient and also reserve the right to make other changes inthe detail form of construction without turbine; a series of partitionwalls arranged between the blades, thus forming a plurality ofcompartments, said partition walls being so placed, with respect to theblades, that the motive agency in passing from the admission to theexhaust end of the cylinder will take a spiral course through said compartments, and a discharge port arranged.

through the propelling blade in each oompartment.

2. A rotary engine having a cone shaped cylinder suitably supported,with admission and exhaust ports arranged therethrough, the admissionport being provided with a nozzle shaped supply pipe; a cone shapedturbine wheel operatively arranged inside of said cylinder on which, atthe narrowest end of the cylinder, is an admission chamber consisting ofa plurality ol' communicating compartments, and. having a single exhaustport arranged therein; a series of propeller blades arranged on saidturbine w xeel and extending longitudinally throughout the lengththereof g a series of partition walls arranged between the blades, thusforming a plurality ol" exhaust compartments, inereas ing in size andcapacity as they approach the discharge end of the cylinder, and soplaced, withlrespect to each other, that the motive agency, in passingfrom the admission ehamber, will take a spiral course to the exhaustport; and a discharge port arranged. through the propeller blade in eachcompartment.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS H. LUKENS. lVitnesse/s:

n JOHN A. SPnA'rLnr,

J. l1. Clinics'

